Question for those who have left the WT with small children?? (page 2)

troucul

we just left, no explanation, and kids didn't ask. C'est trop simple.

sometimes I feel like the kids are raising us

whatever

This is a tought situation but still not changeable, your children are still young enough to introduce things slowly and before you know they wont even remember when you didnt celebrate such things. I left just before my son turned 1 so it was easier for me, my son doesnt know anything different es

calamityjane

Actually is is quite liberating when you finally make the plunge and allow your children to be normal, like the other kids.

We left when our kids were 9, 4 and 2. We decided last minute to allow them to go out for Halloween, it was so much fun, to see the look in the eyes, all dressed up in their costumes, going "door to door" for candy and not selling WT magazines. from that moment we never looked back.

cj

greendawn

Are you still under the influence of the WTS? What they describe as God's will is mostly based on a very twisted and defective understanding of the Scriptures calculated to manipulate people into accepting exploitation by them, so you should forget about getting destroyed on the basis of JW non sense.

The child is small and can easily adjust to a normal life without jw obstructions to normal life and behaviour.

confusedjw

I have a young daughter and it was and still is a transition.

But basically we've said to her that we are thinking things over and making our own decisions about holidays.

I've told her she can make her own decisions about what she would like to do and that God doesn't really care about those things like we thought.

So her teacher was flabberghasted when she showed up at her door as a witch for halloween!

We celebrated Festivus this year.

Too many relatives to be totally out about holidays yet.

xjw_b12

Panik calamityjane's hubby here. I know fully what you are going through, though I think I probably recovered quicker than your self, due in most part to the hypocrasy I was starting to see, after the scales were lifted.

My biggest problem was the blood issue. Took a while to get over that one, but once I started researching, and realized how convuluted and assinine WTS policy was, and how it had "developed" over the years, I went from fearful to angry, to think I may have sacrificed a child for a religion.

Regards, David

kwintestal

Our daughter had just started the first grade when my wife left the org. Mrs. Kwin had sent a note in at the beginning of the school year saying that she was a JW and that the national anthem and holidays were no-no's. Around November Mrs. Kwin made up her mind to leave for good, and we left it up to our daughter to make up her own mind about it. I think at first she didn't sing the anthem, but by the end of the year she was in English and French. Our son who is the same age as your child really just goes with it and doesn't make a big deal about things. It's almost like he's always celebrated holidays.

Kwin

kid-A

Sounds like an extremely difficult situation. Thankfully, your child is just beginning school and hasnt had to go through the socially isolating and humiliating

experiences we went through in grade school. I think its possible you may be projecting your own anxiety about the situation to your kid. Kids are so resilient and open minded

(which is why, unfortunately, its so easy to get 7 year olds baptized) I think if they have the wonderful opportunity to begin fresh in school as a "normal" kid, things will be

fine. But I guess it all depends on the pre-existing level of belief the child had prior to this. Wow, this is a tough one. I wish you all the best whatever the decision is.

Cheers.

InquiryMan

My wife and I left partly for allowing our kids a normal childhood. They have enjoyed it tremendously. Other people have told us that they have become more relaxed since adjusting to the world... when we first had our birthdayparty, I hung close to 30 balloons around the house (normally most people hang up three... as to compensate for the years lost :-)

potleg

Your kids will be fine. Mine have done ok and grown into good balanced young adults...as for your being destroyed...forgrt it, that's the Borgs control tactic...do as we say or zap...forget it, it's not going to happen. I guarantee that if you stay away from the WT you'll look back and shake your head at some of the feelings and beliefs you once had. You and your family will be fine but keep coming back here, you'll find a lot of support, many, many of us have been in similar situations.

Question for those who have left the WT with small children??